Did you know that women are more likely to have irritable
bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders than men? According to Dr.
Christie Blanton, who is board-certified in gastroenterology, the GI system
behaves differently in women because of differences in sex-hormones levels
affecting the brain, nerves and motility in the gut. "The difference comes down
to the nerve cells that control the movement of food through the intestines,
which tend to be more sluggish in response to brain inputs in women than in
men,” she says.

Dr. Blanton believes that adequate training in gastrointestinal
women’s health is critical for gastroenterologists because nearly 60 percent of
GI patients are women. In addition, disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome
are more common in women. "Digestive problems will often go undiagnosed because
women are embarrassed to talk about it,” she says. "Hormonal fluctuations,
pregnancy and childbirth are normal life events that cause specific GI issues for
women, and they may suffer for years before they seek help. Women are also
often misdiagnosed with IBS, and later found to have a different condition
altogether — such as a pelvic floor dysfunction or endometriosis.”
Common symptoms that may indicate IBS or a digestive problem include:

In
the past 10 years, Dr. Blanton says she has seen a lot of "silent suffering” from
women. "Besides IBS, I treat women for pelvic floor dysfunction, which is more
common in women who have had pregnancy and childbirth,” she says. "When your
muscles lose tone, this can cause fecal incontinence or constipation. Since
there is a modesty around bowel movements, women tend to just put up with it
instead of getting the problem checked out.”

Born
and raised in Fairhope, Ala., Dr. Blanton completed her residency and
fellowship at Tulane University School of Medicine. During her fellowship, she was
able to visit Brown University’s all-female directed women’s center. "What we
know about women is that they are so busy caring for others that they often
neglect their own health, and, when they do have a problem, they are too modest
to talk about it,” she says. "It is my goal to create a comfortable environment
at LSU where women can come and openly speak about any GI issues and concerns
they may be facing.”

On
how to prevent GI issues: "A lot of symptoms are diet related,” Dr. Blanton
says. "People who drink the suggested [48 to 64] ounces of water per day and
have fiber in their diets have healthier GI tracts. People don’t realize that
there is really a mind-gut connection and that stress has long-term effects.
Those who exercise regularly or have an outlet to relieve stress, such as yoga,
do much better in the long run.”

On
what is the best diet: "There is no need for an extreme diet or lifestyle
change,” she says. "Just pay attention to what you eat and find a balance in
your nutritional needs.”